Baste calls out SAP Lagdameo for political meddling in Mindanao

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DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian Duterte has called out what he described was Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.’s political meddling in Mindanao, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Citing complaints from BARMM executives, Duterte said: "Nagtuo pud ni si Lagdameo, nagtuo ka'g masakop na ninyo sila karon nga wa man gani na sila nasakop sa mga Espanyol. Kamo mga Espanyol kadugay ng panahon. Tanga pud ka. Karon na nuon sakupon nimo? (Lagdameo thinks that he can control Mindanao. The Spaniards failed to do that a long time ago. You’re stupid. How can you think you can control it now)?"

Duterte said Lagdameo and other administration leaders should keep off their hands the regional government and stop imposing their will on the people of BARMM in particular, and the Mindanaoans in general.

“Matay na lang ka, di gyud na nimo mahilabtan na diha. Sobra sakit ug pait nang ilang giagian para mapalambo na nila nga lugar unya musulod pa ka diha para muapil sa samok? Pag-sure oi! (You’ll just die but you cannot control them. They endured so much pain and struggle to improve their place and you just want to mess all that)?” said the mayor, who is a vocal critic of President Marcos Jr.

Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Ali Pax Mangudadatu has accused Lagdameo of allegedly interfering in their local elections, which he said has caused confusion and disorder in the region’s political landscape.

Mangudadatu, in a video released last October 7, also claimed that Lagdameo has threatened to remove from their position anyone who would oppose him.

Duterte said what Lagdameo is doing to the BARMM is similar to how the political affairs in the Davao Region is supposedly being 'sabotaged.'

He alleged the Marcos administration has been dictating to local officials the policies it wants to be immediately implemented.

“Manghilabot man mo nga naa man mo inyohang lugar (Why do you keep on dipping your hands in our affairs when you have your own place),” he said, adding, “Mao man gusto nila, maila tanan. Gusto nila paludhon tanan. Paminaw nila monarkiya sila (That’s what they want, to control all. They want to control all. They think they are monarchy).”

He slammed the administration:"Ang tanan tan-aw nila nga ubos sa ila [kay] slaves (What they see is that all those who are under them are slaves)."

In a related development, Ella Dujali-Mangubat defended the decision of her elder brother, Davao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Alan “Aldu” Dujali, to run for governor instead of seeking reelection for his last term as congressman.

Aldu Dujali will be running against reelectionist Gov. Edwin Jubahib, who is allied with Jose Manuel “JM” Lagdameo, who is running unopposed for the congressional seat of the 2nd district of the province, which is currently occupied by Dujali. JM Lagdameo is the brother of SAP Lagdameo.

In a recent Facebook post titled “For the greater good,” Dujali-Mangubat said her brother is running for governor because he was concerned about the people of his district.

She quoted the lawmaker as saying: “Ella, pag against ta sa admin, walay budget ang DDN. Luoy ang mga tawo sa distrito. Walay projects ug ayuda kay ma-zerohan ta sa GAA (Ella, if we go against the admin, DDN [Davao del Norte] will have no budget. The people of the district will be pitiful. There will be no projects and aid because we will get zero in the GAA [General Appropriations Act]).”

“Wala naghuna huna akong igsoon para sa sarili. Kay kung sa klaro klaro lang na storya, pwede man sya modagan ug independent and I think our performance record can carry us through. Or pwede pud magbayad ug magpahayahay na lang (My brother did not think of himself. He can run as an independent and I think our performance record can carry us through. Or we can pay and just relax). But no, my brother decided to continue the Dujali legacy. It is a decision that we don’t fully understand now, but I really hope at this point in time, he has proven himself to be capable of leading the people in any position he holds.”

She said her brother’s decision to run for governor took people by surprise, and there were talks that he could have been paid off not to run against JM Lagdameo.

“Let it be known that this decision has been a very difficult one for the family. A lot of discussions back and forth, I was even summoned late night in Manila because noy Alan was confused. All of this because we are put in a difficult situation… Others might think it is selfish of Aldu to run for gov, no, it is in fact the most unselfish decision he made. When I asked him privately many months back why he will give up his third term that he is sure to win, he replied, ‘mangapildi tanan nakong ka partido, Ell. Dili nako gusto ako ray makadaog.’ Para sa tanan na kapartido ni Aldu, gi-una tawon mo sa ako."

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